If you see even one thing you like or that changes you or helps you, pass it on so it can help others too.

In My Opinion

Today, it is common to have people ask something along the lines of “Head or Heart?” Do you follow your head, meaning you think things through and you are logical and systematic about things? Or do you follow your heart, driven by passion and a love of living and experiencing, always pushing to do what you desire? I’m sure if you ask, most people would agree that a person will usually lean to one end or the other.

Another common thing is personality tests. Using a short quiz or a long test, or even using numbers in your life or your birth day, you can supposedly learn everything there is to know about you. Myers-Briggs is a popular test where people are grouped into 16 different types based on a preference of four dual spectrums. It is believed that your will behave, think, and feel according to a stereotype. That is what it boils down to.

But do you really believe that?

Human beings are in control of the world because of our ability to adapt to our environment, or change it to our needs. We have the power of higher thought, meaning we can sit and think about things like “head or heart.” We did not get to the position of power we hold over the world today by being simple creatures that can be easily defined and categorized. The idea that everyone fits a pattern, or that you really are unique, but your uniqueness fits neatly with another person’s, is absurd. Yes, there are common threads that tie us together; values and ideas, preferences and behaviors, and so much more that all can be similar to another person – that is how we connect to others. However, a pattern only exists because we placed it there.

Yes, you can define yourself. You can pin down things about you that always stay constant, such as your ideals and beliefs, but never squeeze yourself into a box that doesn’t give you room to change. The greatest thing about humans is our ability to look within and change things that we just don’t like. We can work to be better, or to better understand ourselves. Sure, your horoscope personality might fit you awfully close, or your MBTI type might exactly pin down how you approach the world, but if you always label yourself, you will have no room to grow. And that is a tragedy.

Labels get outdated. The world around us changes constantly. Don’t let yourself be weighed down so much by what you think you should be that you are never able to fly in the wind or surf the waves. Life is never constant, something is always changing. We are all contradictions. We are this and that. We can think with our head and still be able to follow our heart. So why would you stick yourself in a pre-labeled box that prevents you from being you?

I have no idea how to start this. I don’t have a fancy introduction. No history lesson about artists long past. I don’t have a fluffy lure that half of you would turn back at because you just don’t have the time for that. What I do have is a goal. A desire to impart on you a thought. I just want to sow a seed that you will unwittingly nourish into strong thoughts. It’s a radical idea by today’s standards, but it could literally be world changing.

What if artists were supported by the government?

I could cite statistics, but to be honest, most of you would never go look at them. When you think of artist, the term “starving artist” comes to mind (which is actually not as proliferate as if used to be, thanks to the internet). I always think of a painter or sculptor in a big city that is months behind on rent and on the verge of being homeless, empty stomach and emptier cupboards, and instead of choosing to give up on their heart and just get a traditional job and eat, they choose to fight to create in the hope that someone will finally recognize what they have to offer.

So maybe they’re aren’t many artists that are in this situation (though I’m sure there are some), but what puts people in this position is the passion to create. As an artist, I can say that it is a strong desire to create and share for others that drives us. We generally don’t care about massive amounts of money (though it would be nice!), and we don’t usually want fancy things (except for those fancy art supplies though). We care about making a statement and expressing what we feel and connecting with the people around us. We just want to move people.

In society today, money rules. We cannot do much of anything if we do not have the funds. Big corporations are filthy rich, and the government is dirt poor. Money has infested our politics and our homes. But what if society was different? What if we had a culture that revolved around, well culture.

Culture is what defines us. It is the collection of everything that adds to us and defines us in a new way. Music. Painting. Sculptures. Knowledge. Ideas. Values. Each of these things, and more, come together to make up our culture. These are the good things. The ideas that push us to be better and the finer things that pull us in and change us. A society that revolves around its culture would be a much better society than one that is based on greed and deceit.

So think about it. Artists that produce things of value to society would not be in danger of dying or being homeless. Now they wouldn’t be wealthy or even middle class unless they earned that from what they did, but they would be taken care of. Old apartment buildings or run down factories converted into huge living spaces and studios full of creativity. Homeless people could have a home and food and clean water, they would just have to create.

The world would change. If we put our energy into caring for the people who can change the world with their ideas and spirit and creativity, the world would be a happier, brighter, and more peaceful place. So just sit on that. I’ve planted a seed, and now it is time for you to choose to water it, or let it sit in the ground, wasted potential.

I’ve tried Dollar Shave Club, and it is pretty cool. They have options, but it isn’t overwhelming, and it is super easy to change what you get shipped. You can get it once a month, or every other if you don’t shave that much (That’d be me haha). They also have other products you can add to your box (that’s your shipment) like shave butter, miracle repair serum, extra cartridges, and more. You can upgrade or downgrade whenever you want and the new handle is free!

Their cheapest razor, a simple two bladed (which is good for me), is $3 (that’s $1 plus a $2 shipping and handling (which is good for my bank account)). Their fanciest is only $9 and is free shipping and handling.

Seriously guys, go check it out (and ladies – their third option (which is middle priced at $6 total) has a 90 degree pivot and 4 blades. You can use it too).

In my opinion, I believe everyone should work in some kind of customer service/service job at least once in their life.

I have seen so many people just be flat-out RUDE to people who are paid a rather low wage to serve them and help them. I have also had my fair share of people who I would send to Africa just to get them out of my store!

Being in a customer service job as my first two jobs, both retail, has honestly changed me. I have a huge amount of respect now for anyone who waits on me – be it in a restaurant or a minimum wage retail worker.

A lot of times these people aren’t responsible for the mistakes made to you, like your food being wrong or a product ringing up wrong in the store – yet because they are the ones that the customer is interacting with, it is them that the customer gets angry at (especially when we can’t change the price!)

Having a job like this makes people respect others so much more – which we are heavily lacking in this world. Once you see how rude people can be, and how bad it can make you feel, you will never want to be rude to someone again!

I won’t dwell on this (even though I SO BADLY want to rant and rant about how I have had absolutely disgustingly rude and disrespectful people), but if you want to see more jobs people should have at some point in their life, go check out this link: